She wrote on her personal blog last month: “You may have seen over the last few [weeks] that my husband Derek has been seriously ill in hospital with COVID-19. I am afraid that he remains in a deeply critical condition and is very ill, but he's still alive so there is hope.

"It remains an extremely worrying time for us all and the last couple of weeks have been the hardest of my life."

Garraway has received a host of messages and best wishes on social media.

Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway attends the National Television Awards on January 25, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

One person tagged Garraway last week on Twitter, writing: “There’s a story on BBC News just now about a 30+ student nurse who has been in ICU for ages, and just recovered and got home – be positive, keep trying to get verbal messages to him, the subconscious can sometimes hear.”

Another fan tweeted: “My mum (who’s 80 next week and not a Twitter user!) has asked if I could let you know she lights a candle every day for Derek and for all those suffering from this horrendous virus.